Plastic bag tie

ABSTRACT

A one-piece bag tie of resilient thermoplastic material has a portion for encircling the bag, and leg portions which can be easily twisted together for locking inner segments thereof to secure the bag in a closed condition.

United States Patent 1 1 3,604,066

[72] Inventor Edward W. Moon [56] References Cited P.O. BOX 24, Pomfret, Conn. 06258 UNITED STATES PATENTS P 826959 1,001,180 8 1911 MCB. Syme 24 255 s1, 22 Flled May 22, 1969 14 1971 1,451,206 4 1923 Dow 24 256 1 Palemed 1 3,302,328 2 1967 King 24 261 PT x 3,417,437 l2/l968 Binnall et al 24 27 FOREIGN PATENTS 541 PLASTIC BAG TIE d. 85,1 5 1965 France 24 2613 6 Claims 7 Drawing Figs. Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin [52] US. Cl 24/305 R, Atmrney McCormick Paulding & Huber 51 1m. (:1 13 5 1 77 10, r r r r A44b 21 00 501 Field 61 Search 24 255 13c, ABSTRACT= A One-Piece bag tie of resilient thermoplastic 255 SL, 256, 255 R, 257, 261.3, 259 RC, 261 PT, material has a portion for encircling the bag, and leg portions 261 RC 27, 30.5 TC, 30.5 W, 30.5, 261.3, 255 SL, i h can be easily twisted together for locking inner seg- 2 1 27 25 ments thereof to secure the bag in a closed condition.

Pmmmsmmn 3,604,066

' INVENTOR EDWARD W. MOON ATTORNEYS PLASTIC BAG TIE SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to resilient ties,and'deals more particularly with a thermoplastic one piece tie of novel shape, which is resilient and can be reused many times. The design shown is intended for closing the open end of a polyethylene bag or the like, but other uses might be as a tag holder, or even as a plant tie.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a resilient thermoplastic one-piece bag tie which does not tend to slip relative to the bag when in use, and which is nevertheless easily applied or removed from the bag with a minimum of effort.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilient one piece bag tie which is so designed as to be readily fabricated from a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, in a plastic injection molding machine capable of high-quantity low-cost production.

BRIEF OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the bag tie in its open condition;

FIG. 2 is a view of the bag tie shown in FIG. I, with one of the leg portions being shown beneath the other leg portion in the process of locking the bag tie in position on a bag (not shown), the broken line position shows the relative positions of the leg portions just prior to locking;

FIG. 3 is still another view of the bag tie shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the device being shown in its locked condition.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show the device of FIG. 1 as it would appear from below, these views corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the bag tie shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, that is FIG. 7 shows the bag tie in its locked condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning now to the drawing in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a one-piece bag tie fabricated preferrably from a resilient thermoplastic material such as polystyrene. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that the article shown in the several views of this drawing is well adapted to high-quantity low-cost production in a conventional plastic injection molding machine, and the advantages to the novel shape for the bag tie to be described are of particular usefulness in a thermoplastic element fabricated by such a process.

Considering next the specific shape of the bag tie itself, FIG. I shows the upper surface of the bag tie as being of wirelike round cross section at least throughout a major portion of its length, and FIG. 4 shows the reverse side of the article as having a relatively flat surface throughout the same portion of its length. One leg portion thereof is shown with a flat surface along a major portion of its length in Fig. I and has the rounded cross section on its reverse side, as best shown in Fig. 4. More particularly, the bag tie element includes a generally circular midportion 10 for encircling the closed end of a bag or the like, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inside corner 12 defined by the inner periphery of the circular midportion 10 provides a rather sharp edge for frictionally engaging the bag, thereby preventing the bag tie from slipping with respect to the bag when it is in its locked condition. This feature is especially important when the plastic bag tie is used on polyethylene bags or the like. The shape adopted herein for this circular portion [0, namely the semicircular cross section provides a convenient means for defining this inner comer 12 to prevent slipping of the locked bag tie especially when used on polyethylene bags or the like. While the comer 12 is shown as a contiguous edge in the bag tie form described herein, it will be apparent that other forms might be used to grip the bag depending upon the materials comprising the bag and the tie, and also depending upon the relative size of the tie itself. That is, the bag tie edge 12 might be provided with integrally formed teeth or serrations for more securely gripping the bag under the particular circumstances outlined above.

The bag tie element has at least one outwardly extending leg portion 14 which is integrally connected to one side of the circular midportion 10 by a pair of substantially right-angle segments I6 and 18, best shown inFig. 7,-which segments 16 and I8 serve to offset said one leg portion I4 out of the plane formed by the circular midportion 10 at least when the bag tie is in its open condition. As best shown by a comparison of FIGS. I and 4 the one leg portion 14 which is so offset includes a flat upper surface 20 and a reverse side which is preferrably formed with a rounded contour in the manner of the upper surface of the circular midportion l0 referred to above.

The bag tie element further includes a second outwardly extending leg portion 22 which is in turn integrallyconnected to the opposite side of the circular midportion 10 so as to define 20 for receiving the bag to be closed. The circular midportion 10 also defines an opening between the connection point of leg portions I4 and 22 respectively for receiving the bag. The second leg portion 22 is preferably connected to the circular midportion by means of a'U-shaped segment 24 located in the plane of said circular portion and the said U-shaped segment extends generally toward the offset segment I4 of the first leg portion at least when the bag tie is in its open condition. As so constructed and arranged the leg portions 14 and 22 can be twisted around one another to lock said offset segment 16 and 18, of one leg 14 in said U-shaped segment of the other leg 22.

The locked condition for the bag tie is shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, and it will be apparent that the flat surfaces 20 and 26 of the legs 14 and 22 cooperate with one another so as to provide a bag tie having a relatively short axial profile in the area adjacent the bag to be tied as best shown in FIG. 7. Preferably, the second leg portion 22 has the same rounded cross-sectional shape as does the midportion l0, and both said leg portions thus define suitable flats for cooperating with one another to achieve the foregoing object. More particularly, the offset portion 14 of said first leg preferably has its flat 20 arranged in the same plane as that of the fiat surface defined by the circular midportion 10 at least when the bag tie is in its open condition. The U-shaped segment 24 of the second leg portion 22 defines an opening 28 having a depth somewhat greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension, or diameter of the half round offset leg portion 14, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

As so formed the bag tie element shown in the drawings can be conveniently secured to the open end of a bag, and especially a polyethylene bag, with a simple twisting motion as indicated by the arrows 30, 30 in Figs. 2 and 5, and it will also be apparent that the bag tie can be conveniently removed and reused indefinitely as a result of its inherent resiliency. It will be apparent that the bag tie shown in the drawing is locked with a slight counterclockwise twisting motion exerted upon the leg portions 22 and 14 and unlocked with a clockwise mo tion. It will also be apparent that the bag tie might be constructed with the leg portions 22 and I4 reversed with respect to one another so as to provide a bag tie which can be locked as a result of a slight clockwise twisting motion, and conversely unlocked as a result of a reverse or counterclockwise twisting motion. The actual extent of the twisting motion required to unlock the leg portions 14 and 22 can be seen to be minimized as a result of the oppositely arranged half round configuration of these elements. More particularly, once the leg portions have been spread to the broken line position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the opposite half round cross-sectional shape of these elements facilitates returning of the resilient bag tie to its open condition. That is, the legs tend to open up, and to return to the open condition shown in FIGS. 1

' and4.

lclaim:

l. A one-piece bag tie of resilient thermoplastic material, said tie comprising a generally circular midportion terminating in a pair of generally radially outwardly extending leg portions which are initially spaced apart so the tie can be thrust onto the closed end of a bag or the lilre to encircle it by said midportion, said generally circular midportion having a crosssectional shape which defines at least one inner corner, said leg portions being retained on the bag by crossing them on each other, one of said leg portions having a segment which is wherein said midportion has a semicircular cross-sectional shape, and said leg portions having cross-sectional shapes with cooperating flat surfaces which abut one another when the tie is locked.

3. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second leg portion has the same semicircular cross-sectional shape as said midportion, and wherein said one leg portion has its ofi'set portion defining a flat for cooperating with the flat on said second leg portion.

4. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one leg portion has a semicircular cross-sectional shape which is identical to but inverted with respect to said second leg portion.

5. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 4 wherein said offset portion of said one leg portion has its flat arranged in the same plane as that of the flat surface defined by said circular midportion.

6. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 5 wherein said U-shaped segment of said second leg portion defines an opening with a depth somewhat greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said offset leg portion. 

1. A one-piece bag tie of resilient thermoplastic material, said tie comprising a generally circular midportion terminating in a pair of generally radially outwardly extending leg portions which are initially spaced apart so the tie can be thrust onto the closed end of a bag or the like to encircle it by said midportion, said generally circular midportion having a crosssectional shape which defines at least one inner corner, said leg portions being retained on the bag by crossing them on each other, one of said leg portions having a segment which is offset from the plane of the rest of the tie, and the second of said leg portions having a U-shaped segment which is bowed toward said one leg portion whereby in crossing said leg portions the offset segment of said one leg portion is thrust through the U-shaped segment of the other leg portion and releasably locked in the crossed condition, and said inner corner serving to prevent slipping of the locked bag tie especially when used on polyethylene bags or the like.
 2. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said midportion has a semicircular cross-sectional shape, and said leg portions having cross-sectional shapes with cooperating flat surfaces which abut one another when the tie is locked.
 3. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second leg portion has the same semicircular cross-sectional shape as said midportion, and wherein said one leg portion has its offset portion defining a flat for cooperating with the flat on said second leg portion.
 4. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one leg portion has a semicircular cross-sectional shape which is identical to but inverted with respect to said second leg portion.
 5. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 4 wherein said offset portion of said one leg portion has its flat arranged in the same plane as that of the flat surface defined by said circular midportion.
 6. A one-piece thermoplastic bag tie as set forth in claim 5 wherein said U-shaped segment of said second leg portion defines an opening with a depth somewhat greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said offset leg portion. 